Ok, I joined a first year draft keeper league, and I have come across many issues with the mgmt. I just want to get people's opinions to see if I make sense with disagreeing with this. Generally, I don't get too involved with management of a league, but this is a money league.

The league has a major league draft, then later a minor league (prospect) draft. During the major league draft, guys were picking prospects like Lincecum, Pelfrey, Wood, etc. The commish asked before the draft to not draft prospects. Instead of dropping the guys from their rosters, he lets them keep the players. So i pick up Homer Bailey, and the commish drops him from my squad.

Now, during the minor league draft, i try to pick up adam jones. He drops him. Adam Jones has majors experience, but he said i couldn't have him because he isn't on a major league roster. He also says that all rookie eligible players are not avail to add until the minor draft is over. Today, I look at add/drops during minor league draft. One team picked up Josh Hamilton (rookie eligible) and Joakim Soria from kc was added. They are currently on a major roster, so i pick up Glen Perkins (he is in the Twins pen now). The commish drops him from my team. This was his reasoning for the drop: "Glen Perkins, however, is not eligible to be just picked up off the wire. He has not amassed the career numbers necessary to remove his rookie status." Hamilton and Soria haven't either, but they were added earlier in the week (during the minors draft).

I would also like to point out that Micah Owings and Travis Buck are selected in the minor league draft. They are in the same situation as Hamilton and Soria (free agents in our league, minors eligible, but are on a major league roster). I tell the commish that Owings, Buck, Hamilton, and Soria are all in the same position. They were on the Opening Day roster, but 2 are in the minor league draft and the other two are available free agents. I ask him how this is possible, and I get an open ended response.

Finally, totally different situation not involving my team. One team adds Jason Hirsh. Hirsh is on another's minor league roster. He was added by another team, and the ruling is that he is now major eague eligible bc he went over 50 ip with his last start. The manager doesn't even get the opportunity to promote Hirsh from his minor roster, because he should've anticipated the 50 IP mark before he made his last start.

Lots of people are confused about a lot of things, and that includes the commissioner. Perhaps he doesn't have the mental facility to keep up with commissioning a league with major/minor distinction. I think he needs to go back and determine who has which player in a fair and reasonable way and if he can't do so satisfactorily, I'd refuse to pay.

Minor League draft - The minor league draft will be conducted through a slow message board draft with a 24 hour limit, and one extension per team of four hours to make their pick.

While there are only five rounds in the minor league draft, there are 8 minor league spots and these farm clubs will be housed at Fantasy Baseball Cafe. Although the draft is only five rounds, the extra three spots are reserved for players who are sent down to rehab and sending down of the players that have not reached the minors.

**PLEASE NOTE**
Any rookie or player with no major league experience who has not been drafted in the major league draft will be ineligible to be picked up until AFTER the conclusion of the minor league draft.

**MINOR LEAGUERS DRAFTED IN THE MAJOR LEAGUE DRAFT**

Minor Leaguers drafted in the major league draft must remain on the roster of their respective owners' teams until June 1st, and then can be sent down. Any minor leaguer drafted in the major league draft that is dropped prior to June 1st will become a free agent.

**JAPENESE IMPORTS**

Japanese players signed to a contract through the bidding process by a major league team are eligible in the major league draft and are not governed by the eligibility rules of the minor league draft.

**CAREER LIMITS***

Players in our league are still considered rookies when they are under 150 ABs or 50 IPs for their career, regardless of in season numbers.

Players over the limit must be called up from their respective minor league squads within seven days of the date when the player(s) exceed the career limits. If that player is not called up within the alloted time, that player will become a free agent.

A case came up earlier in the league about Elijah Dukes, but since he was on the major league roster on opening day, he was fair game to be picked up. Same goes for Hamilton and Soria.

As for Owings - he was not on the opening day roster. Buck was, but the opportunity was not taken advantage of and thus was taken by another team in the minor league draft.

This situation is a lot simpler than what is being illustrated and has nothing to do with "rookie status" or "where they started the season".

When this league started their minor league draft on 4/2 at 3:34 AM (which was actually before the season started for all but two major league teams), it was stated that "you can not pick up any minor league players until the draft is completed."

What this meant is that any player at the start of the minor league draft that was not currently on a MAJOR league roster was FROZEN from Free Agent pickups until THE MINOR LEAGUE DRAFT WAS COMPLETED.

Therefore, players like Micah Owings and Glenn Perkins are not eligible to be picked up until THE MINOR LEAGUE DRAFT WAS COMPLETED. Regardless of the fact that they were called up to the major leagues during the draft period.

It also means that players like Soria, Buck and Hamilton - who started the season on a major league roster - ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE PICKED UP AS FREE AGENTS. But, if no one picked them up, they could be picked up in the minor league draft but would need to be activated at the completion of the draft. But technically, if they have not been picked in the minor draft, they could be picked up by anyone anytime through waivers/free agency.

So, you want Micah Owings or Glenn Perkins who aren't eligible to be picked up on FA's? Then draft them in the minor league draft.

Geez, there's only one pick left in the minor draft. Let's finish the darn thing then all this will be meaningless.

Thanks, I thought he was being inconsistent, but I wanted to get an outside opinion.

As for the other comments. Dukes was actually taken in the major league draft, not a free agent add. He was on the Opening Day roster and drafted, so different story.

I'm not following the unfair advantage theory either, since several minor league players were selected in the major league draft after they were optioned in spring training AND after it was stated that minor leaguers weren't allowed to be drafted in the major league draft. So, which is more of an unfair advantage? Manipulating the system to get Pelfrey and Wood on your team through the major league draft, when other managers were under the understanding that they weren't eligible? Or grabbing Glen Perkins as a free agent when he is in the major leagues?

Also, the rules that were posted were actually created after the major league draft and after minor leaguers were selected. I'm still not seeing anything in the rules about differences between players on Opening Day rosters and players being called up.

Finally, the post by cmcintire8686 is pretty confusing, especially when he posted this earlier on the league page:

"Once he was called up to the majors, he should be eligible to be picked up by any team through waivers or FA. He also could be picked up in the minor league draft (if no one has picked him up) since he has not gone over his pitching limitsbut he would be required to be activated by his owner since he is no longer in the minors (like I will be doing with Buck).

Bottom line - regardless of innings pitched, numbers of at bats, etc. - if the players are in the majors NOW and not on another major or minor league roster, they should be eligible for a pickup.

In my opinion, not letting a team pick up a player that is NOW in the majors is nitpicking."

Anyways, thanks for the advice guys. If you have any other suggestions on how to handle this league, I'm all ears.